Life changing moments in 2015 - Moment 1.

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My dad passing away was the most devastating thing to happen to my family...ever.  I know he's gone and I've accepted that, but sometimes it doesn't seem real.  He passed away on September 7, 2015 - my mom, brother and I were by his side.  He didn't open his eyes to see us one last time and he didn't get to say anything heartfelt before he left us, but we held his hand tight.  The three of us just cried and held onto my dad as long as we could. 

Telling you that I miss my dad is such a huge understatement - there's this giant void inside of me without him here.  My dad was...something else.  He was kind, but not just normal kind - the superhuman kind.  And, he was so funny - the kind of funny that makes you feel warm and happy inside.  He was my twin - we had the same mannerisms, eating habits, unnecessary road rage; we were major foodies, appreciators of well-made documentaries, etc.  My mom often says I'm just like my dad - it warms my heart to hear her say that. 

I know he's in heaven now, celebrating with other people who have passed on - but, he's not HERE.  I can't walk Belle around the neighborhood with him, I can't share Sunday meals with him or go to the movies just because.  All of those things are just memories now and I don't get to make new ones with him...  

But, then I remember his face and his voice, the meals we shared and lots of laughter - those are the things that keep me going and the sadness leaves.  I will miss him calling my name and making fun of me.  I will miss his invitations to go to Costco to eat pizza and hot dogs.  I will miss him telling me that I drive like a maniac.  I will miss him telling me I sing too much in the shower.  I will miss the way his face lit up when I'd walk through the front door or the pure excitement he had going to the Korean market with our family.  I will miss making him laugh...I was good at that. 

Posted by : Grace J. Lee
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My not-so-glamorous morning routine.

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My life is not a movie.  I never look the way I imagine Cindy Crawford does every morning.  Sad face.  It's not pretty, people.  I snooze my alarm at least twice before waking up successfully 30 minutes later, but I don't get out of bed until l check Instagram and play a quick game (that shall not be named) on my phone.  I wash my face and brush my teeth, all the while listening to Weeknd's "In the Night" on repeat. Love that song right now.  

Next comes toner, moisturizer and sunblock - the most important elements of my skincare regiment. I never leave the house without sunblock on, just as vampires never walk into sunlight without wearing a special ring for protection.  How stupid would that be?  I frantically dress for work in less than a minute and slap on some makeup before walking out the door with some kind of breakfast food in hand.  When I get to work, I quickly read theSkimm and my day officially begins.  Tada!  Impressed?  Probably not.  Oh well.  Good day!   

Posted by : Grace J. Lee
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Top 20.

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Top twenty movies I will never get sick of:
1) While You Were Sleeping
2) Bridget Jones's Diary
3) Good Will Hunting
4) Pretty Woman
5) Jurassic Park
6) Die Hard
7) The Dark Knight
8) Inception
9) Hook
10) My Best Friend's Wedding
11) Home Alone
12) The Sound of Music
13) The Imitation Game
14) The Theory of Everything
15) Pitch Perfect
16) The Social Network
17) The Italian Job (2003)
18) My Week with Marilyn
19) The Hundred-Foot Journey
20) National Treasure

Posted by : Grace J. Lee
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Your path & dreams.

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"Your path at 22 will not necessarily be your path at 32 or 42. One's dream is constantly evolving, rising and falling, changing force...It is our failure to become our perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique. It's not easy, but if you accept your misfortune and handle it right - your perceived  failure can become a catalyst for profound reinvention...Whatever you think your dream is now, it will probably change and that's okay..." - Conan O'Brien | 2011 Dartmouth Commencement Speech

Posted by : Grace J. Lee
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getting deeper.

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1. Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?  

This is an extremely hard question to answer because there are so many people I'd want to invite.  Hmm...let's see...I'd invite Judy Blume as a dinner guest because she was my favorite author growing up.  I actually gave myself the middle name Judy when I was in elementary school because I loved her that much.  I wrote Grace Judy Lee on all of my classroom and homework assignments.

2. Would you like to be famous? In what way?  

I don't necessarily want to be famous, but it'd be very cool to be recognized on the street by a fan.  What would I be recognized for?  Hmm...for a brilliant novel I wrote?

3. Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say?  Why?

Nope, I never rehearse what I'm going to say before making a phonecall. But, if I get someone's voicemail - I usually record three to four messages before getting it right.

4. What would constitute a “perfect” day for you?  

A perfect day for me would look like this: Wake up at 9:00am, grab doughnuts and coffee at Sidecar, clean my apartment, have lunch with a friend, read for a little and spend time with family.  Perfect! 

5. When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?  

Sing to myself last?  Today (right before answering these questions).  To someone else?  I hummed songs to my friend's newborn baby a month ago.

6. If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year-old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?  

The body of a healthy 30-year old, of course!  Health is seriously so important - you can't enjoy life to its fullest if you're sick, you know?  

7. Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?

While picking wild berries in the forest?  No, wait...while leading a revolution!  I'm kidding.  I honestly want to die peacefully surrounded by friends and family.

8. For what in your life do you feel most grateful?  

My family.  Sundays are my favorite day of the week because I get to hang out with my parents, brother and dog.

9. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?  

Growing up, I based my worth on the grades I got on my report card. When I got a bad grade on a test, I hated myself because I felt like a failure.  No one really encouraged me to explore my interests or asked me what I was passionate about growing up.  I remember I legitimately wanted to become an archaeologist after watching Jurassic Park eons ago, but I never thought it was okay to want to become anything besides a doctor. 

10. If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?  

I'd want the ability to teleport around the world and beyond.

Posted by : Grace J. Lee
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#newyorkcity

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A few photos from my New York trip!  The photos are not in any particular order.

At the airport waiting to board the plane to New York!

Chicken, gyro & rice @ The Halal Guys.

I like the gyro more than the chicken and I LOVE the white sauce.

The ShackBurger @ Shake Shack.  It was amazing. #omg
The Upper West Side location is my favorite.

The Chocolate Chip Walnut cookie @ Levain Bakery.  

My favorite cookie is the Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip cookie.

 Passed by The New York Times in Times Square.

Working here used to be my dream.

Lobster roll @ Luke's Lobster.

The most amazing lobster roll I've ever had. 

Hot dog @ Grey's Papaya.

It's the sort of thing you have to pick up if you're in New York - it's a thing.

Pizza @ John's of Bleeker's Street.  Finally got to try pizza here, so I was happy. I would definitely try the pepperoni next time because that's how I like my pizza. 

 Pizza @ Joe's Pizza. 

I like coming here for pizza when I visit the city because this is where I had my first New York style pizza eleven years ago.

Banana pudding @ Magnolia's Bakery. 

It's another thing I do when I visit the city. #haha 

 Though my feet were in pain most of the time, it was great seeing the Brooklyn Bridge for  little while. It was too cold...brr.

 Seth Meyers was also at the Toy Fair. #socool

Cronuts @ Dominique Ansel Bakery.

My roommate pre-ordered our cronuts two weeks in advance. 

If you do that, you can avoid standing in line for hours. They were pretty delicious. Glad I got to try the original cronut.

 I took this photo of the CNN building in Columbus Circle simply because Anderson Cooper works there. #teehee

 The everything bagel with cream cheese & lox @ Ess-A-Bagel.  

This is by far the BEST bagel I have ever had in my life.

One of the most beautiful buildings in New York City, The New York Public Library. 

A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder. #broadwaymusical #unexpectedlycharming #hilarious

Chinatown. 

 Soup dumplings @ Joe's Shanghai. One of the best meals I had in New York. #sogood

 I love milk tea and New York had Coco Fresh. #thankgoodness

Juice Generation (New York's version of Jamba Juice). #lovedit

Inside of the Grand Central Terminal. #beautiful

Outside of the Grand Central Terminal. #magical

It was so cold in New York...so cold... 

Peter Luger's in Brooklyn. Love the red brick. 

 Yummy steak.

Catching up with friends @ Momofuku Ssam Bar. #fancyfood #delicious 

Catching up with friends @ Rice to Riches.  

The view from our hotel room at Pod 39. #sopretty 

#ihavethisthingwithfloors #andmyshoes 

Marble statue of the Three Graces. #socool 

 I love chandeliers.

Posted by : Grace J. Lee
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have a lovely weekend.

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What are your plans this weekend?

My plans include listening to "The Theory of Everything" soundtrack while I clean the house and apply to jobs.  Saturday is for sleeping in and cleaning the house, but no sleeping in for me because I was rudely interrupted by my alarm playing Taylor Swift's "Style" around 7:30am. Now, I can't sleep...so, I write.

I'm reading "David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants" by Malcolm Gladwell right now and it's a really great so far.  I'm actually trying to finish it before I start "A Brief History of Time" by Stephen Hawking, which is supposed to arrive in my mailbox today - yay!  I've really enjoy reading non-fiction books these days.

Going back to "The Theory of Everything" - it's an amazing film.  It'll sweep you off your feet, bring you to tears, and touch the deepest parts of your heart.  Eddie Redmayne's performance will leave you speechless, it's incredible to watch.  Please watch it if you haven't seen it, you won't regret it.  Of course, this is my opinion - so, take it or leave it. #winkwink 

What's the deal with hashtags?  When did it become a thing?  I don't have an answer to these questions, but what I do know is - I love them. Haha.  Which is why I love this video.

I'm craving doughnuts and coffee...but, what's new?  Haha.  #storyofmylife

Happy Saturday!

Posted by : Grace J. Lee
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#thingsilove

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I stole this gold-painted conifer cone from one of my very crafty friends.  I had to beg her for it, but now it's a very pretty addition to my room. ^^ 

I love dinner parties, especially during the holidays. ^^ 

 Sundays means spending time with my family - a hearty meal and a walk around the neighborhood with our dog, Belle. 

 I love trees and falling leaves.

Our dog, Belle. #loveher

 Our family New Year's tradition is making dumplings together.  It takes a few hours, but it's fun because I get to spend time with my family and the dumplings were delicious.  Finished the last of them at lunch today. ;)

 Our family eats Korean food accompanied by sparkling cider on New Year's and it's wonderful. 

 The blood orange doughnut at Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee is currently my favorite flavor.  It's only available during January, so I gotta go back for some soon!  Maybe this weekend...hmm... 

 The sea urchin creamy udon at Marugame Monzo is to die for!  Please try it if you're ever in Downtown Los Angeles.

 Ritter Sport milk chocolate with cornflakes is my favorite chocolate right now. #loveit

 I love her.

 Painting my IKEA frames with rose gold. #sobeautiful 

My daily essentials.

Posted by : Grace J. Lee
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